La mp-extinguisher



(RoModeL) J. W. DONOVAN. Lamp Extinguisher.

NO. 233,218. Patented Oct. 12,1880.

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N.FETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHKNG'TON, D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JEREMIAH W. DONOVAN, OF NEPONSET, MASSACHUSETTS.

LAMP-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,218, dated October 12, 1880.

Application filed August 2, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JEREMIAH W. DONOVAN, of Neponset, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Lamp-Extinguishers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to lamp-extinguishers,

and is embodied in an apparatus for automatically extinguishing the lamps used for light ing cars and other similar purposes when an accident occurs, to prevent setting fire by the lamps, which may be overturned or broken, such setting on fire being a fruitful source of disaster in railway accidents.

My invention consists in providing a weighted pendulous arm and means to connect it with the usual spindle for turning up and down of the lamp-wick in such a manner that when the said arm swings any considerable distance from its normal vertical position it will rotate the said spindle to turn down the wick and extinguish the lamp. The weight on the said arm will normally hang vertically below its point of support; but in the case of the sudden stopping of the car when in motion, or any other violent shock, as of a collision, or in case of the overturning of the car, the said weight will, by its inertia, move or swing relatively to its point of support, and the connection between' it and the turning spindle of the lamp is such that its movement in any direction will cause the said wick to be turned down.

A steadying device (shown as a spring or secondary weight) is employed to prevent the weight from oscillating under the ordinary jarring of the car or other vehicle when in motion, the said steadying device being overcome only when a sufficiently violent shock occurs.

As herein shown, the weighted arm is extended above its pivotal point and connected at its extremity with a flexible connector or cord passing through an eye just above the end of the said arm when in its normal position, so that the movement thereof in any direction will draw the said cord through the eye, its other end being connected with an arm extended from a rock-shaft provided with aclamp, to take hold of the wick-moving spindle of the lamp, so that when the cord is drawn by the swinging of the weight the said rock-shaft is (No model.)

rotated and the lamp-wick turned down to extinguish the lamp. The rock-shaft is pivoted, so that the clamp, when disengaged from the lamp-spindle, may be turned aside to allow the lamp to be readily removed, as for cleaning or trimming.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a lamp-extinguisher illustrating my invention; Fig. 2, an end view of a portion thereof; Fig. 3, a modification to be referred to, and Fig. 4 a detail thereof.

The extinguisher arm or lever to, pivoted at 2, and provided at its lower end with a heavy weight, b, is connected at its upper end with a flexible connector or cord, 0, passing through an eye or guide, d, supported on the framework, the said cord being connected at its other end with an arm, 6, on a rock-shaft, f, supported in suitable bearings, g, on the framework. The rock-shaft f is provided with a clamp, h, to engage the spindle 17, such as usually employed to raise or lower the wick of the lamp to regulate the flame thereof, and the said shaft is jointed, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, to allow the ready removal of the lamp when desired.

The weight I) normally hangs vertically below its point of support at 2; but in case of any violent shock on the said point 2, as the jar of the frame-work caused by a collision, the said ball b will have a movement relative to the said point 2, swinging the lever 11 to draw the connected cord 0 through the eye d, and by the arm erotate the shaft f to turn down the wick and extinguish the lamp.

It will be seen, referring to Fig. 1, that whichever way the weight b swings the effect is the same on the lamp; and, if desired, the arm a might be pivoted in a gimbal-joint or have a universal movement at 2, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, where the leverais pivoted at 2 in a ring, r, itself pivoted at 4 in a bracket, 8, to allow an oscillation in a direction at right angles to that on the pivots 2, so that a movement of the weight b in any direction would extinguish the lamp.

In order to prevent the weight b from being set in oscillation by the ordinary jarring and irregular motion with sufficient amplitude of movement to affect the lamps, a steadying device is employed, it being shown in one instance illustrated in Fig. 1 as a spring, m, connected with the arm 0, so as to give a gentle tension to the cord 0, which thereby tends to retain the extremity of the lever a close to the eye d, or to cause it to return when deviated by a slight force.

Instead of or in addition to the spring m, a secondary weight, a, may be used much smaller than the one b, and suspended therefrom by a slender cord, 0, passing through an eye, 10, fixed upon the frame work just below the weight b when in its normal position, so that the said weight I) in swinging has to raise the secondary weight n, and will thus be kept steady thereby, except in the case of a violent shock, when, owing to its greater magnitude, the weight b will overcome the secondary weight n, and will be properly operated to turn out the lamp.

Where a gas-jet is used the clamp h maybe connected with the cock thereof, which will then constitute the flame-controlling spindle; and if it be desirable to give a larger angular movement to the shaft f than can readily be obtained by the arm 0, a pulley, 0, may be used in the place of the said arm, as shown in Fig. 3, so that by a proper proportion between the radius of the said pulley and length of the lever a above its pivot 2 any desired amount of angular movement or rotation can be given to the shaft f and clamp h thereon.

I claim- 1. An automatic light-extinguisher consisting of an arm and a weight thereon pivoted to oscillate as a pendulum, and a connecting device between the said arm and the flamecontrolling spindle, whereby, when the said arm is swung on its pivot by a lateral movement of the weight thereon as produced by a violent concussion, it causes the said spindle to rotate to extinguish the light, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with weighted pivoted arm, of a rock-shaft and means to connect it with a flame-controllin g spindle, and aflexible connector between the said arm and rock-shaft, and a guide therefor, whereby an oscillating movement of the weighted arm impartsa rotary movement to rock-shaft and flame-controllin g spindle to extinguish the flame, substantially as described.

3. In a lamp-extinguisher, a rock-shaft provided with a clamp to engage a wick-controller of the lamp and means to properly rotate the said rock-shaft when desired to extinguish the lamp, the said rock-shaft being jointed, as described, to enable the lamp to be readily removed when the said clamp is disengaged from the said lam p, substantially as set forth.

4. In a light extinguisher, a rock -shaft adapted by its rotation to control the flame, and a pivoted weighted arm and means to connect it with the said rock-shaft, to cause an oscillating movement of the said arm to rotate the said rock-shaft and extinguish the flame, combined with a steadying device to prevent a slight jarring or disturbance from setting the said arm in oscillation sut'ficiently to afl'ect the flame, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JEREMIAH W. DONOVAN.

Witnesses:

G. W. GREGORY, N. E. O. WHITNEY. 

